For the longest time and in every days life individuals have been interacting with each other forming personal relationships with other individuals based on preferences, mutual interests, personality traits and the like. These relationships usually takes time to develop and within such time an individual would learn, discover and xe2x80x9cget to knowxe2x80x9d the personality, character and interests of other individuals with whom he or she would form relationships.
Many psychologists and others who have studied and researched human behavior have classified and characterized said behavior using a plurality of categories and/or profiles each of which describes and/or relates to a plurality of personality traits. A number of methods have been developed to capture and describe the personality and/or behavior of an individual. Each of these methods is usually based on a questionnaire that includes a plurality of multiple choice questions. An individual is requested to complete the questionnaire by selecting the multiple choice answers that best fit his or her preferences. These answers are processed by assigning a weighting factor to each answer and by classifying and tallying the weighted scores. The score in each category is then used to describe the personality of the individual using a predefined plurality of classifications and indicating the level, degree or rank within each classifications. For example an individual can be characterized as extrovert or introvert; as having a high tendency for control; as not being interested in details; etc. The results of these methods have been used for self development and in team building.
These psychologists and others have also concluded that said classifications and personality traits can be used to predict the level of compatibility between two individuals and how well they would get along. To the inventor""s knowledge no device has ever been developed to allow two individuals to instantly ascertain and/or predict the degree to which they are compatible based on their personality traits, mutual interests and the like. Recent advances in micro-electronics make the development and construction of such a device possible.
This invention relates to play and fun devices and in particular to a new hand held personal device which is founded on matching personal information pertaining to one individual and stored in one device with personal information pertaining to another individual and stored in an identical or similar device. Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a new hand held personal device that would predict compatibility between two individuals and how well their personalities and interests match.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device that would indicate the degree to which two individuals are compatible and how well they will get along.
It is yet another object of the current invention to provide a new hand held personal device that would check the compatibility between two individuals in a number of categories.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device capable of communicating with a similar device when they are placed in close proximity to each other.
It is still an other object of the current invention to provide a new hand held personal device that includes means to input personal data into the device.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device that indicates the degree of compatibility between two individuals using a plurality of colors.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device that includes a plurality of light emitting means of various colors.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device that indicates the degree of compatibility between two individuals using a plurality of audible signals.
It is also an object of the current invention to provide a new hand held personal device that includes means to display a plurality of questions.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device that includes entry control means to select or provide answers to questions.
It is also an object of this invention to provide examples of such new hand held personal devices as preferred and alternate embodiments.
It is yet an other object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device shaped as a heart and subdivided into two parts such that compatibility can be checked by swapping the back parts of two such devices.
It is yet an object of this invention to provide new hand held personal devices in many shapes and colors.
It is still an object of this invention to provide new hand held personal devices having a housing constructed from transparent material to allow light to emit from such housing.
It is also an object of this invention to provide new hand held personal devices having a housing that includes a lens shaped as a heart or any other shape or figure.
It is yet an other object of this invention to provide new hand held personal devices having a housing that includes a removable and replaceable lens that comes in many shapes and/or figures.
It is further an object of this invention to provide new hand held personal devices having shapes such that when two devices are placed together they form a different figure.
It is also an object of this invention to implement the concept of matching personal information between two players by providing software that can operate on personal computer devices which communicate over a variety of networks.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a new hand held personal device in many shapes and having such a small size such that it may be attached to a key chain or mounted on a necklace.
It is another object of the invention to achieve the above objectives in an economical and easy to implement fashion.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention by providing a hand held device that comprises a micro-processor, a plurality of switches to control the device, to allow selection of answers, or to provide answers to stored questions, an LCD screen, a plurality of light emitting means in different colors, an infra-red transmitter/receiver and means to generate sound effects. The device operates in two modes: Programming mode and Match mode.
In the Programming mode, the player will enter his or her answers to a plurality of questions. The device will query such answers by displaying a sequence of questions including questions with multiple choice answers. The player will select and/or provide the correct answer such as gender, age category, marital status, ethnic background, educational achievements and the like. The player will also select his or her personal preferences to a plurality of questions related to hobbies, interests, skills, sports, and the like. Further the player will select answers that best fit his or her personality profile in connection with multiple choice questions dealing with personality traits and characteristics. Upon completing the answering of questions, the player may initiate the processing of the personal data entered by depressing the Process/Match button. Said processing of personal data consists of grouping and archiving the data into a plurality of categories and identifying the personality traits and profiles of the player based on predefined classifications. Only after such processing of data can the device be switched to the operating or Match mode.
In the operating mode, the device is ready to match the personality profile and other personal information of the player with those of another player. The matching process occurs in two different ways: xe2x80x9cReceive-Process-Transmitxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTransmit-Process-Receive.xe2x80x9d The default operation of the device is to be in a receiving standby mode until it receives data from a similar device with a request to match. Upon receiving the data, the device will match the personality profile and other personal information of the xe2x80x9cguestxe2x80x9d player with those of the xe2x80x9chostxe2x80x9d player. Said matching is based on identifying areas of common interest and the degree of compatibility between the two personality profiles.
The results of the matching process will then be transmitted back to the host device together with a synchronization signal to enable the two devices to simultaneously display the results. Upon receiving the synchronization signal, the two devices will display a sound and light show that represents the results of the match. Such a sound and light show will continue for a predetermined period of time after which the device will return to a receiving standby mode. One example to represent the result of the match is to use various colors of the rainbow spectrum. In such an example the xe2x80x9credxe2x80x9d color is one extreme on the spectrum that represents the highest matching score possible. Conversely, the xe2x80x9cbluexe2x80x9d color is the opposite extreme on the spectrum that represents the lowest matching score possible. Other colors and shades will indicate matching scores between the two extremes. Similarly, sound effects may range from a buzzer for a negative match to a siren for a high scoring match. Alternatively, sound effects may include a plurality of melodies each of which is associated with a specific result of the match.
The second manner to perform the matching process is initiated by the player through the activation of the Process/Match button. Upon such activation, the device will transmit the personality profile and other personal information of the player to a xe2x80x9chostxe2x80x9d device with a request to match. The xe2x80x9chostxe2x80x9d device will execute the match process and will transmit the results back with a synchronization signal. Upon receiving the results, the device will initiate a light and sound show that corresponds to or represents the results of the match.
The foregoing objects of the invention can also be achieved in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention. In such an alternate embodiment, each device comprises two main parts: a base and a detachable part or removable piece. The functionality""s of the overall device are similar to those of the preferred embodiment, except that the functionality""s are divided between the base and the detachable part or removable piece such that the functions related to the programming mode are performed by the base, and the functions related to the operating mode are performed in the detachable part. Accordingly, the base comprises of a plurality of switches to control the device, to allow selection of answers, or to provide answers to stored questions, an LCD screen and connections to the microprocessor which is located in the detachable part. In addition to the micro-processor, the detachable part or removable piece includes a plurality of light emitting means of different colors, an infra-red transmitter/receiver and means to generate sound effects. Under such an alternate embodiment, it is possible to miniaturize the size of the removable piece such that it can be mounted on a necklace or attached to a key chain.
A second alternate embodiment includes a removable lens to personalize the device to the player. The lens comes in many different shapes, such as a heart, zodiac signs, sport symbols or any other shape. The player would be able to purchase a plurality of lenses and use them with the device.
Further, the foregoing objects of the invention can be achieved in accordance with other embodiments of the invention. Such embodiments are based on variations of the aforestated description of the preferred and alternate embodiments. For example, the invention can be implemented using software designed in accordance with the invention. Said software will utilize a personal computing device or the like to store personal information about the player. This information can then be communicated to a second player via the Internet, or over any other type of communication network, for processing by the second player""s personal computing device. The results can then be shared and displayed by the two computing devices. Other variations include providing each player with a set of written questions and then requesting the player to enter the answers in a particular sequence rather than having the device query each answer by displaying the questions one at a time. In addition, the query of information, including displaying questions and entering answers can be accomplished using a separate computing device such as a personal computer. Upon providing all the answers to the predefined questions, such information can then be copied to a hand held personal device either through a serial cable interface or by the way of infrared communication. An other variation would require the storing of information on a programmable memory device that can be plugged in a hand held personal device. Yet an other variation is to use the device to match specific situations based on a set of questions. In such a case, a new set of questions and associated multiple choice answers, based on said specific situation, can be down loaded and stored in the device. The device can also be used to store personal, educational, work experience and other information related to the player for possible match with an other master device that includes information about available jobs or positions.
The device can be constructed in many figures and colors, the most desirable figure is for the device to have a symmetrical shape such that when two devices are placed together they form a different shape or figure. Further, and as described in an alternate embodiment, it is desirable to personalize the device. One example would be to provide a housing with a lens that emits light generated by the device. Such a lens can be removable and interchangeable with lenses of different shapes. Said shapes may include the heart shape, sport symbols, zodiac signs, animal shapes, or the like.